Gas-engine



(No Mam.)

J. S. BIGGAR.

GAS ENGINE.

Patented Feb. 7, 1893,

Unities Santas Farmaci einen@ JOHN STUART lllGGAR, OF VVIAIITESBQROUGH,CALIFORNIA.

GAS-ENGlN'E.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 491,403, dated February"i, 1893.

Application filed October l2, 1891. Serial No. 408,431. (No modell.l

To cti/Z whom t riz/ay concern.-

le it known that I, JOHN STUART Bide-AR, of llhitesborcngb, in thecounty of Mendocino and State et California, have invented a new andImproved Gas-Engine, of which the following is a specification,reference being had to the annexed drawings, forming a part thereof, inwhich- Figure l is a side sectional elevation of a gas engine builtacording to my improvement; Fig` i3 is a plan view of a portion ot thelengine, showing the contact breakers, the crank shaft, and the cammovement; and Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken on line 3-3 in Fig.2.

Similar letters of reference indicate corre spending parts in` all theviews.

The object ot my invention is to construct a gas engine provided with adonbleacting piston adapted to take in the combustible mixture andcompress it npon either side of the power piston; also to provide anelectric ignitor for igniting the combustible charge,

all as will be hereinafter more fully described.

In the present case I have shown the application of my improvement to alocomotive, but I do not limit or contine myself to this ose. l

The frames, supported upon the axles B, I', of the drive wheels C, C',supports the cylinder I), and the Ways E, which guide the cross-head l?.The axle B is provided with a crank G, which is connected by the rod awith the cross-head F, and the said cross-head F is attached to theouter end of a tubular piston rod h, the inner end of which is securedto the piston II. Upon opposite sides of the said piston II, arearranged pistons I, l, which draw in the combustible mixture into thecylinder preparatory to its being compressed by the piston l-l. Thepiston I, is connected by a tnbnlar piston rod c with the rectangularframe d, which is acted on by the quadrant cam K on the axle B. Thepiston I, is provided with two piston rods d, d', the piston rod d beingtubular. These rods pass through snit-able stuffing boxes in thecylinder head, and are connected with the rectangnlartrame J, whichincloses the quadrant cam It' secured to the axle B.

At the top ot the cylinder D is placed a valve chest L, furnished withports c, e', en tering the cylinder I), passages f', communicating withthe gas supply pipe g, and furnished with check valves 7L, 7L', openingtoward the cylinder D, also with air passages j, j', opening into thepassages f, f. In a cavity underneath the passages f, f', is arranged aT- pipe 7c, which communicates with the passages f, f', and with a gaspump M, by means of which gas may be taken from the supply pipe g, andtorced into the said passages f, f.

In the underside ot the cylinder D, are formed ports Z, Z', covered bythe valve chest N, in which is placed a double valve O, capable otopening and closing the said ports in alternation. The rod m of thevalve O is connected by a connecting rod n,-with a bell crank lever o,which in turn is connected with an eccentric rod p, embracing theeccentric q on the aXle B.

On the frame A, is located a battery P, one pole ot which is connectedwith the contact plates fr, i", the other pole being connected with theswitch S, which in turn is connected with the commutator Q, whichdirects the cnrrent alternately to the contact springs t, t', the saidsprings being connected electrically with the contact plates u, u.

The piston rod l) is provided with two contact springs o, o', connectedwith the contact points w, w', in opposite sides of the piston H, andotherwise insulated from the working parts of the engine. The piston rodCZ is provided with a contact spring a', capable of touch ing the platefr', when the piston l makes its ont-stroke, and the said spring isconnected electrically with the contact point b', in the inner tace ofthe piston l. The piston rod e carries a spring c', capable ofcontacting with the contact plate r, at every out-stroke of the pistonI. The said spring c is connected with the contact point d2 in the innerface of the piston I. The pistons I, l, are furnished respectively withvalves c2, c3, opening inwardly toward the piston Il.

The operation of my improved gas engine is as follows: The combustiblecharge having been exploded in the cylinder, and the piston l IMI havingbeen forced to the extremity of its stroke, as shown in the drawings,the valve 0 opens the port Z', and allows the products of combustion toescape, and while the piston Il is moved toward 4the position shown, the

IOO

piston I, is made to follow it by the cam K, thereby drawing in thecombustible mixture through the port e, taking the gas from thepassagef, and the air from the passage j, so that at the time theexhaust port Z is opened by the movement of the valve O, the spacebetween the piston I and the head of the cylinder D will be filled withthe combustible mixture. As soon as the products of combustion have beenexhausted, the exhaust port Z is closed, and the piston I, is drawntoward the head of the cylinder by the cam K, thereby transferring thecombustible mixture to the space between the said piston I, and thepiston II. The explosion of the combustible mixture on the opposite sideof the piston H, forces the said piston forward and compresses thecombustible mixture between the pistons H, I, so that as the piston IIcompletes its return stroke, the contact point w touches the contactpoint (l2, thereby completing the electric circuit, the spring c havingby this time reached the contact plate fr. Just as the crank G passesthe center, the contact points 10,622 separate, thereby causing a sparkwhich ignites the charge and moves the piston II forward to the point ofstarting. Vhat has already been described upon one side of the pistontakes place in precisely the same way upon the other side of the piston,the two operations proceeding in alternation.

Then it is desired to start the engine from a state of rest, gas isdrawn by the pump M from the supply pipe g, and forced into the cylinderwhich already contains sufticientaair to form an explosive mixture, andthe charge thus introduced ignited as soon as the electrical contact ismade and broken in the manner already described. To cause the axles B,

B', to rotate together, they are connected by tact to engage those ofthe power piston, and 5o the electrical connections, substantially asset forth.

2. In a gas engine, the combination of the power cylinder, the powerpiston provided with a tubular piston rod, and electrical contactpoints, the transfer pistons provided with check valves and furnishedwith tubular piston rods and contact points, and the electric generatorand electrical connections, substantiall;7 as specified.

3. In a gas engine, the combination of the power cylinder provided withinlet and exhaust ports, a power piston, two transfer pistons, saidthree pistons each having a tubular piston rod, contact points on bothsides of the power piston, a contact point on the inner face of eachtransfer piston to respectively engage the contacts on the power piston,electric connections leading from said contact points through the pistonrods to the outside of the cylinder and there connected with contacts onthe rods, contact plates in the paths of the piston-rod-contacts andmeans for operating the transfer pistons, substantially as specified.

JOHN STUART BIGGAR.

Witnesses:

W. J. BIGGAR, FRED C. STODDARD.

